BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/rmipro/">RACHEL MIPRO</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — About 200 Kansans crowded into the second floor of the Statehouse and around the third floor rotunda Wednesday, giving standing ovations as speakers urged lawmakers to hear a Medicaid expansion proposal for the first time in years.

Gov. Laura Kelly, unwilling to let a Medicaid expansion proposal die without a hearing for the fourth year in a row, was one of the speakers whipping up support.

“There are no more valid excuses for not expanding Medicaid,” Kelly said to a cheering crowd. “… Expanding Medicaid is the smartest, sanest way to keep Kansas moving forward.”

The governor toured the state last fall to lobby for Medicaid expansion in advance of the legislative session. House Speaker Dan Hawkins and Senate President Ty Masterson have resisted her efforts, characterizing expansion as a move that would broaden the “welfare state” and provide care to able-bodied Kansans instead of the “truly needy.”

Under the Affordable Care Act, the federal government covers 90% of the extra cost of Medicaid services in exchange for expanding eligibility to 138% of the federal poverty rate. Most of the estimated 150,000 Kansans who would benefit from expansion are low-income workers or Kansans suffering from chronic illness. Representatives for the two leaders did not respond to a Kansas Reflector inquiry for this story.

Medicaid expansion would unlock $700 million in annual federal funding and could potentially save 59 rural hospitals on the brink of closing.

Despite widespread support for Medicaid expansion — one statewide poll puts the number at 68% of registered voters in favor of expansion — the Republican-dominated Legislature has been slow to action.

Democrats introduced a Medicaid expansion bill in both chambers in late January. Pressure has increased as the days go by without any movement.

“What do we need to do?” one speaker asked the crowd during Wednesday rally.

“Expand Medicaid,” the crowd chanted back.

The Alliance for a Healthy Kansas, which organized the rally, said the House has not held a public hearing on a Medicaid expansion bill since 2017, while the Senate hasn’t heard any proposals since 2020. Lawmakers last came close to adopting Medicaid expansion in 2020, when former Senate Majority Leader Jim Denning worked out a bipartisan deal with Kelly.

The deal fell apart as Republicans, angered by a Kansas Supreme Court ruling that established a constitutional right to terminate a pregnancy, prioritized placing an anti-abortion constitutional amendment before voters.

At Wednesday’s event, April Holman, executive director of the Alliance for a Healthy Kansas, pointed rally attendees toward a table filled with lawmakers’ information, encouraging them to reach out to their legislators.

“We will together overcome the hurdles we are facing,” Holman said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1709813771538.png" alt="Photo Rep. Tobias Schlingensiepen" />
 <figcaption>Photo Rep. Tobias Schlingensiepen</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/rmipro/">RACHEL MIPRO</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — About 200 Kansans crowded into the second floor of the Statehouse and around the third floor rotunda Wednesday, giving standing ovations as speakers urged lawmakers to hear a Medicaid expansion proposal for the first time in years.Gov. Laura Kelly, unwilling to let a Medicaid expansion proposal die without a hearing for the fourth year in a row, was one of the speakers whipping up support.“There are no more valid excuses for not expanding Medicaid,” Kelly said to a cheering crowd. “… Expanding Medicaid is the smartest, sanest way to keep Kansas moving forward.”The governor toured the state last fall to lobby for Medicaid expansion in advance of the legislative session. House Speaker Dan Hawkins and Senate President Ty Masterson have resisted her efforts, characterizing expansion as a move that would broaden the “welfare state” and provide care to able-bodied Kansans instead of the “truly needy.”Under the Affordable Care Act, the federal government covers 90% of the extra cost of Medicaid services in exchange for expanding eligibility to 138% of the federal poverty rate. Most of the estimated 150,000 Kansans who would benefit from expansion are low-income workers or Kansans suffering from chronic illness. Representatives for the two leaders did not respond to a Kansas Reflector inquiry for this story.Medicaid expansion would unlock $700 million in annual federal funding and could potentially save 59 rural hospitals on the brink of closing.Despite widespread support for Medicaid expansion — one statewide poll puts the number at 68% of registered voters in favor of expansion — the Republican-dominated Legislature has been slow to action.Democrats introduced a Medicaid expansion bill in both chambers in late January. Pressure has increased as the days go by without any movement.“What do we need to do?” one speaker asked the crowd during Wednesday rally.“Expand Medicaid,” the crowd chanted back.The Alliance for a Healthy Kansas, which organized the rally, said the House has not held a public hearing on a Medicaid expansion bill since 2017, while the Senate hasn’t heard any proposals since 2020. Lawmakers last came close to adopting Medicaid expansion in 2020, when former Senate Majority Leader Jim Denning worked out a bipartisan deal with Kelly.The deal fell apart as Republicans, angered by a Kansas Supreme Court ruling that established a constitutional right to terminate a pregnancy, prioritized placing an anti-abortion constitutional amendment before voters.At Wednesday’s event, April Holman, executive director of the Alliance for a Healthy Kansas, pointed rally attendees toward a table filled with lawmakers’ information, encouraging them to reach out to their legislators.“We will together overcome the hurdles we are facing,” Holman said.

At Statehouse rally, Gov. Kelly takes another swing at Kan. Medicaid expansion

WOODSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities and USD 366 Woodson officials are investigating an alleged school threat.

Early Thursday, the school district reported on their social media page they were alerted to a threat that was made to Yates Center High School. 

Due to the serious nature of this threat and to allow law enforcement time to investigate, Woodson USD 366 will not be in session Thursday, March 7.&nbsp; All activities are also cancelled.  School will resume after spring break on Monday, March 18.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697128767642.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WOODSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities and USD 366 Woodson officials are investigating an alleged school threat.Early Thursday, the school district reported on their social media page they were alerted to a threat that was made to Yates Center High School. Due to the serious nature of this threat and to allow law enforcement time to investigate, Woodson USD 366 will not be in session Thursday, March 7.&nbsp; All activities are also cancelled. School will resume after spring break on Monday, March 18.&nbsp;

Kan. school district cancels classes due to alleged threat

By MIKE COURSON Great Bend Post

Most students around Barton County will be taking a break from the classroom next week for Spring Break. Kansas Wetlands Education Center Director Curtis Wolf reminds families of daily drop-in, come-and-go activities at the facility from 1-4 p.m. each day.

"We've done this the last few years," he said. "It's just a great opportunity. So many people, the kids are at home trying to figure out what to do. Each afternoon, we will be offering our Spring Break drop-in activities. Every day is a different activity."

"Jump Into Spring with Grasshopper Discovery" is the topic for Monday, March 11. The topic will include a craft. On Tuesday, participants can learn about bees and make a hotel for the insects. More crafts are planned for Wednesday's discussion about the differences between frogs and toads. On Thursday, participants can learn about birds, their beaks, and what they eat. They can also make a bird feeder to take home. The week winds down on Friday with general information about wetlands and their importance to the ecosystem with another craft planned. Those unable to attend can check out a livestream on the KWEC Facebook page around 10 a.m. for information about that day's activities. Wolf said Spring Break week is also an important time for part-time staff at the center.

"This is on them to come up with the program, come up with the advertising material for it, all the supplies they need, and everything else," he said. "Each day is a different part-time employee that's in charge of their program."

For a second straight year, KWEC is canceling its popular prairie chicken lek tours due to a lack of birds. KWEC staff will assist with the Kansas Lek Treks event in Hays from April 11-14. Find more information about Lek Treks by <a href="https://www.kansaslektreks.org/schedule.cfm">CLICKING HERE</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1709739165234.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By MIKE COURSON Great Bend PostMost students around Barton County will be taking a break from the classroom next week for Spring Break. Kansas Wetlands Education Center Director Curtis Wolf reminds families of daily drop-in, come-and-go activities at the facility from 1-4 p.m. each day."We've done this the last few years," he said. "It's just a great opportunity. So many people, the kids are at home trying to figure out what to do. Each afternoon, we will be offering our Spring Break drop-in activities. Every day is a different activity.""Jump Into Spring with Grasshopper Discovery" is the topic for Monday, March 11. The topic will include a craft. On Tuesday, participants can learn about bees and make a hotel for the insects. More crafts are planned for Wednesday's discussion about the differences between frogs and toads. On Thursday, participants can learn about birds, their beaks, and what they eat. They can also make a bird feeder to take home. The week winds down on Friday with general information about wetlands and their importance to the ecosystem with another craft planned. Those unable to attend can check out a livestream on the KWEC Facebook page around 10 a.m. for information about that day's activities. Wolf said Spring Break week is also an important time for part-time staff at the center."This is on them to come up with the program, come up with the advertising material for it, all the supplies they need, and everything else," he said. "Each day is a different part-time employee that's in charge of their program."For a second straight year, KWEC is canceling its popular prairie chicken lek tours due to a lack of birds. KWEC staff will assist with the Kansas Lek Treks event in Hays from April 11-14. Find more information about Lek Treks by <a href="https://www.kansaslektreks.org/schedule.cfm">CLICKING HERE</a>.

Full slate of Spring Break free activities planned at KWEC

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House passed a $460 billion package of spending bills Wednesday that would keep money flowing to key federal agencies through the remainder of the budget year. The Senate is expected to take up the legislation before a midnight Friday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/government-shutdown">shutdown</a>&nbsp;deadline.

Lawmakers are negotiating a second package of six bills, including defense, in an effort to have all federal agencies fully funded before a March 22 deadline. In the end, total discretionary spending set by Congress is expected to come in at about $1.66 trillion for the full entire year.

A significant number of House Republicans have lined up in opposition to the spending packages, forcing House Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">Mike Johnson</a>, R-La., to use an expedited process to bring the bill up for a vote. That process requires two-thirds of the House to vote for the measure for it to pass.

The House passed the measure by a vote of 339-85.&nbsp; Two members of the Kansas delegation Ron Estes and Tracey Mann voted against the bill.

The nondefense spending in this year's bills is relatively flat compared to the previous year. Supporters say that keeping that spending below the rate of inflation is tantamount to a cut, forcing agencies to be more frugal and focus manpower on top priorities. Johnson cited a 10% cut to the Environmental Protection Agency, a 7% cut to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and a 6% cut to the FBI.

But many Republican lawmakers were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-mccarthy-house-republicans-spending-cuts-deff84c0e2ff7d3bd076b8c38e14cca4">seeking</a>&nbsp;much steeper cuts and more policy victories. The House Freedom Caucus, which contains dozens of the GOP's most conservative members, urged Republicans to vote against the first spending package and oppose the second one being negotiated.

“Despite giving Democrats higher spending levels, the omnibus text released so far punts on nearly every single Republican policy priority,” the group said.

Johnson countered that House Republicans have just a two-vote majority in the House while Democrats control the Senate and White House.

“We have to be realistic about what we're able to achieve,” Johnson said.

Democrats staved off most of the policy riders that House Republicans sought to include in the package. For example, they beat back an effort to block new rules that expand access to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/abortion">abortion</a>&nbsp;pill mifepristone.

Democrats also said the bill would fully fund a nutrition program for low-income women, infants and children, providing about $7 billion for what is known as the WIC program. That's a $1 billion increase from the previous year.

As part of those negotiations, House Republicans pushed to give a few states the ability to disallow the purchase of non-nutritious food, such as sugary drinks and snacks, in the food stamp program known as SNAP. The GOP's effort was unsuccessful for now, but supporters say they'll try again in next year's spending bills.

“The bill certainly doesn't have everything that we may have wanted, but I am very proud to say we successfully defeated the vast majority of the extreme cuts and hundreds of harmful policy riders proposed by the House Republicans,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the top-ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee.

House Republicans were able to achieve some policy wins, however. One provision, for example, will prevent the sale of oil in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to China. Another policy mandate prohibits the Justice Department from investigating parents who exercise free speech at local school board meetings.

Another provision strengthens gun rights for certain veterans.

Under current law, the Department of Veterans Affairs must send a beneficiary’s name to the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System whenever a fiduciary is appointed to help manage someone’s benefits because they lack the mental capacity to manage their own affairs. This year’s spending package prohibits the department from transmitting that information unless a relevant judicial authority rules that the beneficiary is a danger to himself or herself, or others.

Rep. Mark Takano, the top Democrat on the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, said a finding of mental incompetency by the VA is typically based on “very serious mental health conditions like schizophrenia and dementia."

“They wanted so badly to make sure that vulnerable veterans could access more firearms,” Takano said. “This is wrong. Lives are on the line. Veterans' lives are on the line, and I will not agree to legislation that will cause more people's lives to be lost to gun violence.”

Republicans have argued that current VA policy deters some veterans from seeking the care and benefits they have earned.

In a closed-door meeting with the House GOP, Johnson, looking to show that Republicans did get some policy wins in the negotiations, read from a news report about how Democrats were having “heartburn” about the gun provision, according to a Republican familiar with the discussion who was not authorized to discuss it publicly.

The bills to fund federal agencies are more than five months past due with the budget year beginning Oct. 1. House Republicans are describing an improved process nevertheless, saying they have broken the cycle of passing all the spending bills in one massive package that lawmakers have little time to study before being asked to vote on it or risk a government shutdown.

But critics of the bill, such as Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., were dismissive about how much the process really changed.

The first package covers the departments of Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Interior and Transportation, among others.

Democrats overwhelmingly supported the bill, with 207 voting for it and two voting against. The vote among Republicans was 132-83.

"Once again, Democrats protected the American people and delivered the overwhelming majority of votes necessary to get things done,” House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said.

Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Okla., said he opposed the bill because “I've not made any bones about it since I've been here. We have to get spending under control and we've lost the leverage.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1709777601578.png" alt="House Speaker Mike Johnson during a Wednesday press conference-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>House Speaker Mike Johnson during a Wednesday press conference-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The House passed a $460 billion package of spending bills Wednesday that would keep money flowing to key federal agencies through the remainder of the budget year. The Senate is expected to take up the legislation before a midnight Friday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/government-shutdown">shutdown</a>&nbsp;deadline.Lawmakers are negotiating a second package of six bills, including defense, in an effort to have all federal agencies fully funded before a March 22 deadline. In the end, total discretionary spending set by Congress is expected to come in at about $1.66 trillion for the full entire year.A significant number of House Republicans have lined up in opposition to the spending packages, forcing House Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">Mike Johnson</a>, R-La., to use an expedited process to bring the bill up for a vote. That process requires two-thirds of the House to vote for the measure for it to pass.The House passed the measure by a vote of 339-85.&nbsp; Two members of the Kansas delegation Ron Estes and Tracey Mann voted against the bill.The nondefense spending in this year's bills is relatively flat compared to the previous year. Supporters say that keeping that spending below the rate of inflation is tantamount to a cut, forcing agencies to be more frugal and focus manpower on top priorities. Johnson cited a 10% cut to the Environmental Protection Agency, a 7% cut to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and a 6% cut to the FBI.But many Republican lawmakers were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-mccarthy-house-republicans-spending-cuts-deff84c0e2ff7d3bd076b8c38e14cca4">seeking</a>&nbsp;much steeper cuts and more policy victories. The House Freedom Caucus, which contains dozens of the GOP's most conservative members, urged Republicans to vote against the first spending package and oppose the second one being negotiated.“Despite giving Democrats higher spending levels, the omnibus text released so far punts on nearly every single Republican policy priority,” the group said.Johnson countered that House Republicans have just a two-vote majority in the House while Democrats control the Senate and White House.“We have to be realistic about what we're able to achieve,” Johnson said.Democrats staved off most of the policy riders that House Republicans sought to include in the package. For example, they beat back an effort to block new rules that expand access to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/abortion">abortion</a>&nbsp;pill mifepristone.Democrats also said the bill would fully fund a nutrition program for low-income women, infants and children, providing about $7 billion for what is known as the WIC program. That's a $1 billion increase from the previous year.As part of those negotiations, House Republicans pushed to give a few states the ability to disallow the purchase of non-nutritious food, such as sugary drinks and snacks, in the food stamp program known as SNAP. The GOP's effort was unsuccessful for now, but supporters say they'll try again in next year's spending bills.“The bill certainly doesn't have everything that we may have wanted, but I am very proud to say we successfully defeated the vast majority of the extreme cuts and hundreds of harmful policy riders proposed by the House Republicans,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the top-ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee.House Republicans were able to achieve some policy wins, however. One provision, for example, will prevent the sale of oil in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to China. Another policy mandate prohibits the Justice Department from investigating parents who exercise free speech at local school board meetings.Another provision strengthens gun rights for certain veterans.Under current law, the Department of Veterans Affairs must send a beneficiary’s name to the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System whenever a fiduciary is appointed to help manage someone’s benefits because they lack the mental capacity to manage their own affairs. This year’s spending package prohibits the department from transmitting that information unless a relevant judicial authority rules that the beneficiary is a danger to himself or herself, or others.Rep. Mark Takano, the top Democrat on the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, said a finding of mental incompetency by the VA is typically based on “very serious mental health conditions like schizophrenia and dementia."“They wanted so badly to make sure that vulnerable veterans could access more firearms,” Takano said. “This is wrong. Lives are on the line. Veterans' lives are on the line, and I will not agree to legislation that will cause more people's lives to be lost to gun violence.”Republicans have argued that current VA policy deters some veterans from seeking the care and benefits they have earned.In a closed-door meeting with the House GOP, Johnson, looking to show that Republicans did get some policy wins in the negotiations, read from a news report about how Democrats were having “heartburn” about the gun provision, according to a Republican familiar with the discussion who was not authorized to discuss it publicly.The bills to fund federal agencies are more than five months past due with the budget year beginning Oct. 1. House Republicans are describing an improved process nevertheless, saying they have broken the cycle of passing all the spending bills in one massive package that lawmakers have little time to study before being asked to vote on it or risk a government shutdown.But critics of the bill, such as Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., were dismissive about how much the process really changed.The first package covers the departments of Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Interior and Transportation, among others.Democrats overwhelmingly supported the bill, with 207 voting for it and two voting against. The vote among Republicans was 132-83."Once again, Democrats protected the American people and delivered the overwhelming majority of votes necessary to get things done,” House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said.Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Okla., said he opposed the bill because “I've not made any bones about it since I've been here. We have to get spending under control and we've lost the leverage.”____

2 Kan. lawmakers vote against $460 billion House spending package 

KANSAS CITY —On Wednesday afternoon, the Independence Police Department received the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/UnitedStatesHonorFlag?__cft__[0]=AZUXUk35ZM9pPRgK0SHb5DAGfuTbULv8TF5CloCNAR09Hk2Raz_w5O4KS99EjoIYwsJmuM_c4XCnl7SHc0jx87E-wW6UHdNPgIe6L6jpevEuWhDmRh3-5U9q4Ugiftdpil6j_Hbo0Tz9cAd48gtTJFPXXe3keGOXTaK3cGiSI1coWkr6moqWdzB5zk6lqyLJIjs&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">The United States Honor Flag</a> at the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/FlyKansasCity?__cft__[0]=AZUXUk35ZM9pPRgK0SHb5DAGfuTbULv8TF5CloCNAR09Hk2Raz_w5O4KS99EjoIYwsJmuM_c4XCnl7SHc0jx87E-wW6UHdNPgIe6L6jpevEuWhDmRh3-5U9q4Ugiftdpil6j_Hbo0Tz9cAd48gtTJFPXXe3keGOXTaK3cGiSI1coWkr6moqWdzB5zk6lqyLJIjs&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Kansas City International Airport</a>.

The Honor Flag travels across the country honoring America's fallen heroes. The flag arrived via <a href="https://www.facebook.com/United?__cft__[0]=AZUXUk35ZM9pPRgK0SHb5DAGfuTbULv8TF5CloCNAR09Hk2Raz_w5O4KS99EjoIYwsJmuM_c4XCnl7SHc0jx87E-wW6UHdNPgIe6L6jpevEuWhDmRh3-5U9q4Ugiftdpil6j_Hbo0Tz9cAd48gtTJFPXXe3keGOXTaK3cGiSI1coWkr6moqWdzB5zk6lqyLJIjs&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">United</a> and was presented to Deputy Chief Michelle Sumstad by the Captain of the arriving flight. The Flag will will be at Officer Cody Allen's side throughout the visitation and funeral service. Allen and&nbsp; 16th Circuit Court process server Drexel Mack were shot and killed Feb. 29, while working at a residence in rural Jackson County.

There will be a public visitation for Officer Allen on Thursday, March 7, from 4:00-8:00 pm at Community of Christ - The Auditorium, 1001 W Walnut Street, Independence, Missouri.

The police department shared a link to the online fundraiser to assist wth the arrangements for Mack.<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/honoring-drexel-mack?fbclid=IwAR0GL8QHAOWxe_MmoqToBBDiFI0-AeYItoPLyPNu8ySxO-1qOg-3vKqimiw">&nbsp;Click here</a>

<a href="https://ushf.net/?fbclid=IwAR2Ns_UWVOK9N2Nhb35BKlfPTYzewfHMYyDC4WmE8Vq3ArLQCKh1L690Nxc">Click here for</a> more info on the history of this flag.

The funeral service for Officer Allen will be held on Friday, March 8, 2024 at 11:00 am, also at Community of Christ - The Auditorium, 1001 W Walnut Street, Independence, Missouri.

All vehicles arriving for the service must enter from the intersection of Lexington Avenue and Walnut Street and will follow parking detail directions from there.

A procession to the cemetery for graveside services will follow the funeral on March 8, The procession will leave from The Auditorium, 1001 W Walnut Street, Independence, Missouri and proceed east on Walnut Street to Memorial Drive to Truman Road to Lee’s Summit Road to 39th Street to Little Blue Parkway to I-70 East to Exit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/37a?__eep__=6&amp;__cft__[0]=AZVJOZCyf-Z5Umwp_mONSJ5H9D7w3fIF5_GFbWvpiH78UGPI_GhJdWu7jAYe2Ri6LlTEmiVIEfHiIabuIcVdnWXZsUSRlpjj-P5Xhz0y22GGH6rx-6LHbCVkzdV-NQi0_AK_wmhn1c5pWAurj09wG1G5DR5s8bePwcfLhqrKf1YJeQ&amp;__tn__=*NK-R">#37A</a>&nbsp;where the procession will continue through Odessa to Odessa Cemetery.

From there, a parking detail will be onsite to assist. All professional law enforcement honors will take place at the cemetery.The public should expect traffic delays if traveling around the venues listed above and near the procession route on Friday, March 8.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1709258563931.png" alt="Officer Cody Allen courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Officer Cody Allen courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —On Wednesday afternoon, the Independence Police Department received the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/UnitedStatesHonorFlag?__cft__[0]=AZUXUk35ZM9pPRgK0SHb5DAGfuTbULv8TF5CloCNAR09Hk2Raz_w5O4KS99EjoIYwsJmuM_c4XCnl7SHc0jx87E-wW6UHdNPgIe6L6jpevEuWhDmRh3-5U9q4Ugiftdpil6j_Hbo0Tz9cAd48gtTJFPXXe3keGOXTaK3cGiSI1coWkr6moqWdzB5zk6lqyLJIjs&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">The United States Honor Flag</a> at the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/FlyKansasCity?__cft__[0]=AZUXUk35ZM9pPRgK0SHb5DAGfuTbULv8TF5CloCNAR09Hk2Raz_w5O4KS99EjoIYwsJmuM_c4XCnl7SHc0jx87E-wW6UHdNPgIe6L6jpevEuWhDmRh3-5U9q4Ugiftdpil6j_Hbo0Tz9cAd48gtTJFPXXe3keGOXTaK3cGiSI1coWkr6moqWdzB5zk6lqyLJIjs&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Kansas City International Airport</a>.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FIndepMoPolice%2Fvideos%2F346788241016361%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=1" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div> The Honor Flag travels across the country honoring America's fallen heroes. The flag arrived via <a href="https://www.facebook.com/United?__cft__[0]=AZUXUk35ZM9pPRgK0SHb5DAGfuTbULv8TF5CloCNAR09Hk2Raz_w5O4KS99EjoIYwsJmuM_c4XCnl7SHc0jx87E-wW6UHdNPgIe6L6jpevEuWhDmRh3-5U9q4Ugiftdpil6j_Hbo0Tz9cAd48gtTJFPXXe3keGOXTaK3cGiSI1coWkr6moqWdzB5zk6lqyLJIjs&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">United</a> and was presented to Deputy Chief Michelle Sumstad by the Captain of the arriving flight. The Flag will will be at Officer Cody Allen's side throughout the visitation and funeral service. Allen and&nbsp; 16th Circuit Court process server Drexel Mack were shot and killed Feb. 29, while working at a residence in rural Jackson County.There will be a public visitation for Officer Allen on Thursday, March 7, from 4:00-8:00 pm at Community of Christ - The Auditorium, 1001 W Walnut Street, Independence, Missouri.The police department shared a link to the online fundraiser to assist wth the arrangements for Mack.<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/honoring-drexel-mack?fbclid=IwAR0GL8QHAOWxe_MmoqToBBDiFI0-AeYItoPLyPNu8ySxO-1qOg-3vKqimiw">&nbsp;Click here</a><a href="https://ushf.net/?fbclid=IwAR2Ns_UWVOK9N2Nhb35BKlfPTYzewfHMYyDC4WmE8Vq3ArLQCKh1L690Nxc">Click here for</a> more info on the history of this flag.The funeral service for Officer Allen will be held on Friday, March 8, 2024 at 11:00 am, also at Community of Christ - The Auditorium, 1001 W Walnut Street, Independence, Missouri.All vehicles arriving for the service must enter from the intersection of Lexington Avenue and Walnut Street and will follow parking detail directions from there.A procession to the cemetery for graveside services will follow the funeral on March 8, The procession will leave from The Auditorium, 1001 W Walnut Street, Independence, Missouri and proceed east on Walnut Street to Memorial Drive to Truman Road to Lee’s Summit Road to 39th Street to Little Blue Parkway to I-70 East to Exit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/37a?__eep__=6&amp;__cft__[0]=AZVJOZCyf-Z5Umwp_mONSJ5H9D7w3fIF5_GFbWvpiH78UGPI_GhJdWu7jAYe2Ri6LlTEmiVIEfHiIabuIcVdnWXZsUSRlpjj-P5Xhz0y22GGH6rx-6LHbCVkzdV-NQi0_AK_wmhn1c5pWAurj09wG1G5DR5s8bePwcfLhqrKf1YJeQ&amp;__tn__=*NK-R">#37A</a>&nbsp;where the procession will continue through Odessa to Odessa Cemetery.From there, a parking detail will be onsite to assist. All professional law enforcement honors will take place at the cemetery.The public should expect traffic delays if traveling around the venues listed above and near the procession route on Friday, March 8.

🎥U.S. Honor Flag arrives ahead of visitation for KC area officer

BROWN COUNTY—An 86-year-old missing person was safely returned to family after law enforcement and the community worked together to resolve the situation.

Just after 2a.m. Wednesday the&nbsp;Brown County law enforcement dispatch received a call from Tanya Rhyne, employee of TA Express Truck Stop in Fairview, Kansas who was concerned about an elderly person who appeared disoriented while driving in their parking lot, according to Sheriff John Merchant.

 Upon investigation, a Brown County Deputy ran the license plate which came back to an individual in Lincoln,Nebraska.&nbsp; 

Brown County officials contacted the Lincoln, Nebraska Police and it was learned that the 86-year-old driver in the Truck Stop parking lot had been reported missing sinceMarch&nbsp; 4.&nbsp;

 Lincoln police provided the name and contact information&nbsp; of the missing person's daughter who was then contacted by the deputy.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 

The deputy and Tanya stayed with the missing individual until 5:30 a.m. when&nbsp; the daughter arrived. The sheriff thanked Tanya who did the right thing by calling with her concern and assisting the deputy.&nbsp;&nbsp;

BROWN COUNTY—An 86-year-old missing person was safely returned to family after law enforcement and the community worked together to resolve the situation.Just after 2a.m. Wednesday the&nbsp;Brown County law enforcement dispatch received a call from Tanya Rhyne, employee of TA Express Truck Stop in Fairview, Kansas who was concerned about an elderly person who appeared disoriented while driving in their parking lot, according to Sheriff John Merchant. Upon investigation, a Brown County Deputy ran the license plate which came back to an individual in Lincoln,Nebraska.&nbsp; Brown County officials contacted the Lincoln, Nebraska Police and it was learned that the 86-year-old driver in the Truck Stop parking lot had been reported missing sinceMarch&nbsp; 4.&nbsp; Lincoln police provided the name and contact information&nbsp; of the missing person's daughter who was then contacted by the deputy.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The deputy and Tanya stayed with the missing individual until 5:30 a.m. when&nbsp; the daughter arrived. The sheriff thanked Tanya who did the right thing by calling with her concern and assisting the deputy.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Missing 86-year-old from Nebraska located in Kansas

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a second homicide in Lawrence this week.

Just after 5p.m. Wednesday, police responded to a shooting in the&nbsp;700 block of Vermont Street, according to a social media report from Lawrence Police. One person is confirmed dead.

The suspect identified as Nicholas Beaver has been safely taken into custody by Lawrence Police Officers without incident.

Police said they knew there are a lot of witnesses to the incident. Police need witnesses to contact them at (785)832-7509

On Wednesday, police reported they were searching for&nbsp; 21-year-old Dawson Edward Paine in connection with a deadly shooting Tuesday night in the 2900 block of Crestline Drive, according to a media release from Lawrence Police.

Just after 10:30p.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to a residence where Paine allegedly shot 18-year-old&nbsp; Davin Gregory Kerr of Lawrence.

After the shooting, Paine left the area prior to the arrival of officers. Kerr was transported by ambulance to a Kansas City area trauma center where he was later pronounced dead.

Police ask that anyone who may have information on the whereabouts of Dawson Paine call 911. He should be considered armed and dangerous, and no one should try approach or contact him other than law enforcement.&nbsp;

Contact police anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers of Lawrence and Douglas County at (785)843-TIPS (8477).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1709780048186.png" alt="Police on the scene of the shooting investigation -photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the shooting investigation -photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a second homicide in Lawrence this week.Just after 5p.m. Wednesday, police responded to a shooting in the&nbsp;700 block of Vermont Street, according to a social media report from Lawrence Police. One person is confirmed dead.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1709808921380.png" alt="Nichols Beaver photo Lawrence Police" />
 <figcaption>Nichols Beaver photo Lawrence Police</figcaption>
 </figure>The suspect identified as Nicholas Beaver has been safely taken into custody by Lawrence Police Officers without incident.Police said they knew there are a lot of witnesses to the incident. Police need witnesses to contact them at (785)832-7509On Wednesday, police reported they were searching for&nbsp; 21-year-old Dawson Edward Paine in connection with a deadly shooting Tuesday night in the 2900 block of Crestline Drive, according to a media release from Lawrence Police.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1709737558547.png" alt="Paine photo Lawrence Police" />
 <figcaption>Paine photo Lawrence Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 10:30p.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to a residence where Paine allegedly shot 18-year-old&nbsp; Davin Gregory Kerr of Lawrence.After the shooting, Paine left the area prior to the arrival of officers. Kerr was transported by ambulance to a Kansas City area trauma center where he was later pronounced dead.Police ask that anyone who may have information on the whereabouts of Dawson Paine call 911. He should be considered armed and dangerous, and no one should try approach or contact him other than law enforcement.&nbsp;Contact police anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers of Lawrence and Douglas County at (785)843-TIPS (8477).

Police investigate 2nd homicide in 24 hours in Lawrence

LYON COUNTY—Law enforcement investigators have positively identified the remains of a man found in Kansas as&nbsp;Randy Bruce Clayton, born October 12, 1953,&nbsp;according to Lyon County Detective Sergeant Travis Mishle.

On April 29th, 2017, Lyon County Deputies were sent to the 2000 Block of Road 145 on the west side of Neosho Rapids for a report of a skull that had been found along the banks of the Neosho River.

Detectives responded to the scene as well and took over the investigation.

In August 2017, details of the case were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs). Over the years, Detectives diligently worked to identify the Neosho Rapids John Doe. In 2018, the case was submitted to the FBI laboratory in Quantico for DNA analysis. However, the identity of the man remained unknown.

In 2022, the Lyon County Sheriff's Office partnered with Othram to determine if advanced forensic DNA testing could help to identify the man. Forensic evidence was submitted to Othram scientists who successfully developed a comprehensive DNA profile for the unidentified male. Othram's forensic genetic genealogy team used the profile in a genetic genealogy search to develop new investigative leads that were returned to law enforcement.

Using the new information, Lyon County Sheriff’s Office Detectives conducted a follow-up investigation and made contact with a potential relative of the unidentified man. Follow-up DNA testing with family members confirmed the identity of the man as Randy Bruce Clayton.

The Lyon County Sheriff’s Office thanked Othram/ DNASolves.com, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, NamUs, and the Lyon County Attorney’s Office for their assistance in identifying Mr. Clayton.

The investigation into Clayton's death continues.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1709737359420.png" alt="Randy Clayton-photo courtesy Othram" />
 <figcaption>Randy Clayton-photo courtesy Othram</figcaption>
 </figure>LYON COUNTY—Law enforcement investigators have positively identified the remains of a man found in Kansas as&nbsp;Randy Bruce Clayton, born October 12, 1953,&nbsp;according to Lyon County Detective Sergeant Travis Mishle.On April 29th, 2017, Lyon County Deputies were sent to the 2000 Block of Road 145 on the west side of Neosho Rapids for a report of a skull that had been found along the banks of the Neosho River.Detectives responded to the scene as well and took over the investigation.In August 2017, details of the case were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs). Over the years, Detectives diligently worked to identify the Neosho Rapids John Doe. In 2018, the case was submitted to the FBI laboratory in Quantico for DNA analysis. However, the identity of the man remained unknown.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1709757393009.png" alt="Photo courtesy Othram" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Othram</figcaption>
 </figure>In 2022, the Lyon County Sheriff's Office partnered with Othram to determine if advanced forensic DNA testing could help to identify the man. Forensic evidence was submitted to Othram scientists who successfully developed a comprehensive DNA profile for the unidentified male. Othram's forensic genetic genealogy team used the profile in a genetic genealogy search to develop new investigative leads that were returned to law enforcement.Using the new information, Lyon County Sheriff’s Office Detectives conducted a follow-up investigation and made contact with a potential relative of the unidentified man. Follow-up DNA testing with family members confirmed the identity of the man as Randy Bruce Clayton.The Lyon County Sheriff’s Office thanked Othram/ DNASolves.com, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, NamUs, and the Lyon County Attorney’s Office for their assistance in identifying Mr. Clayton.The investigation into Clayton's death continues.

DNA test helps ID remains found in Kansas in 2017 

&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY, Kan. —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new drug allegations.

Just after 4:30p.m. March 4, around 4:30 P.M., a Deputy Sheriff stopped a passenger car for an alleged traffic infraction in the vicinity of 134th Road and P Road in Jackson County, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

During the stop,  illegal drug contraband was seized. The driver, Savannah Jo Cain, 37, of Topeka, was arrested for possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. The passenger, Diandre Lee Spates, 51, of Topeka, was arrested for possession of methamphetamine, felony interference with law enforcement and felony possession of hallucinogenic drugs.

Cain has previous felony convictions for forgery, theft and drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections. Her sentence in prison expired in 2019.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1709571229072.png" alt="Spates-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Spates-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY, Kan. —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new drug allegations.Just after 4:30p.m. March 4, around 4:30 P.M., a Deputy Sheriff stopped a passenger car for an alleged traffic infraction in the vicinity of 134th Road and P Road in Jackson County, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1709571189529.png" alt="Cain has three previous felony convictions, according to the KDOC-photo Jackson CO." />
 <figcaption>Cain has three previous felony convictions, according to the KDOC-photo Jackson CO.</figcaption>
 </figure>During the stop, illegal drug contraband was seized. The driver, Savannah Jo Cain, 37, of Topeka, was arrested for possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. The passenger, Diandre Lee Spates, 51, of Topeka, was arrested for possession of methamphetamine, felony interference with law enforcement and felony possession of hallucinogenic drugs.Cain has previous felony convictions for forgery, theft and drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections. Her sentence in prison expired in 2019.

Kan. woman convicted of forgery caught transporting meth 

NEW YORK (AP) — From the start, the case was highly unusual: a criminal prosecution centered on the disputed ownership of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hotel-california-lyrics-manuscript-trial-eagles-henley-973e74e795416821e6f022895b47b78e">cache of hand-drafted lyrics</a>&nbsp;to “Hotel California” and other Eagles hits.

In the middle of trial, New York prosecutors abruptly dropped their case Wednesday against three collectibles experts who had been accused of scheming to hang onto and peddle the pages, which Eagles co-founder Don Henley maintained were stolen, private artifacts of the band’s creative process.

In explaining the stunning turnabout, prosecutors agreed that defense lawyers had essentially been blindsided by 6,000 pages of communications involving Henley and his attorneys and associates. Prosecutors and the defense got the material only in the past few days, after Henley and his lawyers apparently made a late-in-the-game decision to waive their attorney-client privilege shielding legal discussions.

“These delayed disclosures revealed relevant information that the defense should have had the opportunity to explore” when Henley and other prosecution witnesses testified late last month, Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Aaron Ginandes told the court.

With that, rare books dealer Glenn Horowitz, former Rock &amp; Roll Hall of Fame curator Craig Inciardi and rock memorabilia seller Edward Kosinski were cleared of all the charges. They had included conspiracy to criminally possess stolen property.

The case centered on roughly 100 pages of legal-pad pages, many from the creation of a classic rock colossus. The 1976 album “Hotel California” ranks as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3c0b39a1bb5b4e44aafe2c4e05a4b67f">third-biggest seller</a>&nbsp;of all time in the U.S., in no small part on the strength of its evocative, smoothly unsettling title track about a place where “you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave.”

Prosecutors had said the defendants knew the pages' chain of possession was shaky but sought to keep and sell them anyway, contriving to fabricate a provenance that would pass muster with auction houses and stave off Henley’s demands for the return of the handwritten sheets.

Through their lawyers, the defendants contended they were rightful owners of pages that weren’t stolen by anyone.

“The next step is building back our reputations," Inciardi said in a written statement after the dismissal. Kosinski, leaving court, said only that he felt “very good” about the case's end. Horowitz hugged tearful family members, then left court without commenting.

Henley lawyer Dan Petrocelli, meanwhile, said the musician plans to turn to civil courts.

“As the victim in this case, Mr. Henley has once again been victimized by this unjust outcome,” Petrocelli said in a statement.

One of Kosinski's lawyers, Scott Edelman, said they also were going to “evaluate next steps."

The communications that led to the case dismissal weren’t released publicly. But in court earlier this week, defense lawyers said the trove had identified additional potential witnesses and raised questions about some testimony from Henley and others.

Judge Curtis Farber said Wednesday that witnesses and their lawyers used attorney-client privilege “to obfuscate and hide information that they believed would be damaging" and that prosecutors “were apparently manipulated.”

As Edelman saw it, prosecutors "got blinded by the fame and fortune of a celebrity.”

The defense maintained that Henley gave the lyrics pages decades ago to a writer who worked on a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hotel-california-lyrics-manuscript-trial-eagles-henley-8ec3a28657365ecce6bfd4003ead494a">never-published Eagles biography</a>&nbsp;and later sold the handwritten sheets to Horowitz. He, in turn, sold them to Inciardi and Kosinski, who started putting some of the pages up for auction in 2012.

“These are three factually innocent men,” said Inciardi's lawyer, Stacey Richman.

Henley, who realized the pages were missing only when they showed up for sale, reported them stolen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/henley-hotel-california-lyrics-trial-eagles-01d778228e5f7450a2579238798c4f38">He testified</a>&nbsp;at the trial that he let the writer pore through the pages for research but “never gifted them or gave them to anybody to keep or sell.”

The writer, Ed Sanders, wasn’t charged with any crime and wasn’t called to testify. He hasn’t responded to messages about the trial.

Defense lawyers said in court Monday that newly produced emails showed that Henley initially suspected someone else before being reminded of the decades-old book project.

The defense said emails also indicated that some Henley lawyers and a private investigator initially characterized the pages’ disappearance as a burglary — and didn't mention Sanders’ 1979 book contract — because they believed that referring to a burglary would help their cause. The contract, often mentioned during the trial, said the Eagles would furnish Sanders with material, which would remain the band’s “sole property.”

Messages seeking comment were sent to the Henley attorneys involved in the initial 2012 discussions about the lyrics sheets . Another firm that represented Henley in later dealings with the matter, Loeb &amp; Loeb, said in a statement Wednesday that it respects the attorney-client privilege decisions and is “confident that its attorneys acted in accordance with their professional and ethical responsibilities.”

Prosecutors said Wednesday that they repeatedly asked various witnesses to waive their attorney-client privilege, but they chose not to until the past few days.

But Horowitz lawyer Jonathan Bach said that while the defendants were accused of not asking enough questions about the pages' ownership, “it appears that the failure to do a full investigation lies with the other side."

Before the case collapsed, the nonjury trial provided sometimes gossipy peeks into the height of the Eagles' career and the music business.

The court heard the band's longtime manager lament on a decades-old tape about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hotel-california-lyrics-manuscript-trial-eagles-henley-1b873edc7596bb736428fbf8fb431c1d">dealing with “a pampered rock star.”</a>&nbsp;Henley held in his hands aging pages with lyrics-in-the-making for such Eagles songs as “After the Thrill is Gone,” “One of These Nights” and “The Long Run.”

During testimony that stretched across three days, the Grammy-winning singer and drummer recounted highlights from the band's heyday, such as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/henley-hotel-california-lyrics-trial-eagles-305107bd8950280a23ae6100a71f0f88">the writing of “Hotel California."</a>&nbsp;And he discussed personal low points, including his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/don-henley-eagles-hotel-california-sex-worker-dae5d3c41ae5ad1071a06dbc74a957d7">1980 arrest</a>&nbsp;after authorities reported finding a 16-year-old girl who was ailing from drug use at his home. It happened as the Eagles were breaking up, and Henley was reeling.

“The band was everything to me, and it’s something I’d been working towards since I was 15 years old. It was my whole world" and “my identity," he said. "We had accomplished so much in the previous decade.”

In the long run, it wasn't the end. The Eagles reunited in 1994 and are still touring.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708429319229.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — From the start, the case was highly unusual: a criminal prosecution centered on the disputed ownership of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hotel-california-lyrics-manuscript-trial-eagles-henley-973e74e795416821e6f022895b47b78e">cache of hand-drafted lyrics</a>&nbsp;to “Hotel California” and other Eagles hits.Its end was even more unexpected.In the middle of trial, New York prosecutors abruptly dropped their case Wednesday against three collectibles experts who had been accused of scheming to hang onto and peddle the pages, which Eagles co-founder Don Henley maintained were stolen, private artifacts of the band’s creative process.In explaining the stunning turnabout, prosecutors agreed that defense lawyers had essentially been blindsided by 6,000 pages of communications involving Henley and his attorneys and associates. Prosecutors and the defense got the material only in the past few days, after Henley and his lawyers apparently made a late-in-the-game decision to waive their attorney-client privilege shielding legal discussions.“These delayed disclosures revealed relevant information that the defense should have had the opportunity to explore” when Henley and other prosecution witnesses testified late last month, Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Aaron Ginandes told the court.With that, rare books dealer Glenn Horowitz, former Rock &amp; Roll Hall of Fame curator Craig Inciardi and rock memorabilia seller Edward Kosinski were cleared of all the charges. They had included conspiracy to criminally possess stolen property.The case centered on roughly 100 pages of legal-pad pages, many from the creation of a classic rock colossus. The 1976 album “Hotel California” ranks as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3c0b39a1bb5b4e44aafe2c4e05a4b67f">third-biggest seller</a>&nbsp;of all time in the U.S., in no small part on the strength of its evocative, smoothly unsettling title track about a place where “you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave.”Prosecutors had said the defendants knew the pages' chain of possession was shaky but sought to keep and sell them anyway, contriving to fabricate a provenance that would pass muster with auction houses and stave off Henley’s demands for the return of the handwritten sheets.Through their lawyers, the defendants contended they were rightful owners of pages that weren’t stolen by anyone.“The next step is building back our reputations," Inciardi said in a written statement after the dismissal. Kosinski, leaving court, said only that he felt “very good” about the case's end. Horowitz hugged tearful family members, then left court without commenting.Henley lawyer Dan Petrocelli, meanwhile, said the musician plans to turn to civil courts.“As the victim in this case, Mr. Henley has once again been victimized by this unjust outcome,” Petrocelli said in a statement.One of Kosinski's lawyers, Scott Edelman, said they also were going to “evaluate next steps."The communications that led to the case dismissal weren’t released publicly. But in court earlier this week, defense lawyers said the trove had identified additional potential witnesses and raised questions about some testimony from Henley and others.Judge Curtis Farber said Wednesday that witnesses and their lawyers used attorney-client privilege “to obfuscate and hide information that they believed would be damaging" and that prosecutors “were apparently manipulated.”As Edelman saw it, prosecutors "got blinded by the fame and fortune of a celebrity.”The defense maintained that Henley gave the lyrics pages decades ago to a writer who worked on a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hotel-california-lyrics-manuscript-trial-eagles-henley-8ec3a28657365ecce6bfd4003ead494a">never-published Eagles biography</a>&nbsp;and later sold the handwritten sheets to Horowitz. He, in turn, sold them to Inciardi and Kosinski, who started putting some of the pages up for auction in 2012.“These are three factually innocent men,” said Inciardi's lawyer, Stacey Richman.Henley, who realized the pages were missing only when they showed up for sale, reported them stolen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/henley-hotel-california-lyrics-trial-eagles-01d778228e5f7450a2579238798c4f38">He testified</a>&nbsp;at the trial that he let the writer pore through the pages for research but “never gifted them or gave them to anybody to keep or sell.”The writer, Ed Sanders, wasn’t charged with any crime and wasn’t called to testify. He hasn’t responded to messages about the trial.Defense lawyers said in court Monday that newly produced emails showed that Henley initially suspected someone else before being reminded of the decades-old book project.The defense said emails also indicated that some Henley lawyers and a private investigator initially characterized the pages’ disappearance as a burglary — and didn't mention Sanders’ 1979 book contract — because they believed that referring to a burglary would help their cause. The contract, often mentioned during the trial, said the Eagles would furnish Sanders with material, which would remain the band’s “sole property.”Messages seeking comment were sent to the Henley attorneys involved in the initial 2012 discussions about the lyrics sheets . Another firm that represented Henley in later dealings with the matter, Loeb &amp; Loeb, said in a statement Wednesday that it respects the attorney-client privilege decisions and is “confident that its attorneys acted in accordance with their professional and ethical responsibilities.”Prosecutors said Wednesday that they repeatedly asked various witnesses to waive their attorney-client privilege, but they chose not to until the past few days.But Horowitz lawyer Jonathan Bach said that while the defendants were accused of not asking enough questions about the pages' ownership, “it appears that the failure to do a full investigation lies with the other side."Before the case collapsed, the nonjury trial provided sometimes gossipy peeks into the height of the Eagles' career and the music business.The court heard the band's longtime manager lament on a decades-old tape about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hotel-california-lyrics-manuscript-trial-eagles-henley-1b873edc7596bb736428fbf8fb431c1d">dealing with “a pampered rock star.”</a>&nbsp;Henley held in his hands aging pages with lyrics-in-the-making for such Eagles songs as “After the Thrill is Gone,” “One of These Nights” and “The Long Run.”During testimony that stretched across three days, the Grammy-winning singer and drummer recounted highlights from the band's heyday, such as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/henley-hotel-california-lyrics-trial-eagles-305107bd8950280a23ae6100a71f0f88">the writing of “Hotel California."</a>&nbsp;And he discussed personal low points, including his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/don-henley-eagles-hotel-california-sex-worker-dae5d3c41ae5ad1071a06dbc74a957d7">1980 arrest</a>&nbsp;after authorities reported finding a 16-year-old girl who was ailing from drug use at his home. It happened as the Eagles were breaking up, and Henley was reeling.“The band was everything to me, and it’s something I’d been working towards since I was 15 years old. It was my whole world" and “my identity," he said. "We had accomplished so much in the previous decade.”In the long run, it wasn't the end. The Eagles reunited in 1994 and are still touring.

Charges dropped in case of stolen 'Hotel California' lyrics

TOPEKA&nbsp;–&nbsp; Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach announced his office has filed a lawsuit Wednesday in Shawnee County District Court against&nbsp;social media company TikTok for misrepresenting its age-appropriateness in app stores, deceiving parents about the effectiveness of its parental tools, and creating and aggressively promoting an addictive app the that erodes the mental health of Kansas children, according to a media release from the AG's office.

"TikTok deceived parents by saying that the&nbsp;app was safe and age appropriate. In reality, the app has promoted&nbsp;filth, profanity, sexual content, and alcohol and drugs to Kansas kids. Even worse, it has used coercive algorithms that spike dopamine, keep kids on the app as long as possible, and facilitate downward mental health spirals. Kansas parents deserve the truth about the harm the app causes to young users, and Kansas kids should be protected," Kobach said.

The lawsuit alleges that TikTok knew its app was not safe for kids when it released the app in 2017. &nbsp;Additionally, the company misleads parents by marketing its app as age appropriate for children 12 and older. Despite its assertions, TikTok hawks significant amounts of profanity and crude humor, sexual content and nudity, alcohol, tobacco and drug usage, and mature and suggestive themes.

“Parents and caregivers believe their children are protected from images of intense sexual content, illicit drug use, and videos encouraging vaping and tobacco use, because TikTok deceives parents into believing the company hides this content from children. In reality, this company created an app intentionally to hook Kansas children onto their salacious, dangerous, and damaging content at the price of those children's mental health. This damage will echo far into the future of our state, and TikTok must answer for its actions,” said Deputy Attorney General Fran Oleen.

According to the petition, TikTok offers “restricted mode” and “family pairing” tools to keep Kansas children safe, but the tools are ineffective. The suit also alleges that TikTok negatively impacts the mental health of Kansas youth.

“Kids in Kansas have been bombarded with problematic TikTok videos while lost in the addictive grip of TikTok’s auto scroll that affects not only their attention spans, but their mental health. Youth in Kansas frequently find themselves in an infinite hole of TikTok videos that tell them they are not good enough or attractive enough. These videos are often paired with advice on how to evade parents’ detection of eating disorders,” said Assistant Attorney General Sarah Dietz. “TikTok has misrepresented itself as safe, while it purposefully addicted minors and wreaked havoc on their mental health. Even when parents and caregivers try to create a safe environment for their children by using parental controls, they are deceived by TikTok’s false representations that the parental controls are effective.”

The Office of the Kansas Attorney General is alleging multiple violations of the Kansas Consumer Protection Act. Specifically, the state seeks civil penalties of $10,000 per violation and enhanced civil penalties of $20,000 for deceptive and unconscionable acts against protected consumers.

Oleen and Dietz of the Office of the Kansas Attorney General, along with Special Assistant Attorneys General David Thompson, Brian Barnes, Megan Wold, and Athie Livas of Cooper &amp; Kirk, PLLC, represent the state of Kansas in the suit.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596810871119.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA&nbsp;–&nbsp; Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach announced his office has filed a lawsuit Wednesday in Shawnee County District Court against&nbsp;social media company TikTok for misrepresenting its age-appropriateness in app stores, deceiving parents about the effectiveness of its parental tools, and creating and aggressively promoting an addictive app the that erodes the mental health of Kansas children, according to a media release from the AG's office."TikTok deceived parents by saying that the&nbsp;app was safe and age appropriate. In reality, the app has promoted&nbsp;filth, profanity, sexual content, and alcohol and drugs to Kansas kids. Even worse, it has used coercive algorithms that spike dopamine, keep kids on the app as long as possible, and facilitate downward mental health spirals. Kansas parents deserve the truth about the harm the app causes to young users, and Kansas kids should be protected," Kobach said.The lawsuit alleges that TikTok knew its app was not safe for kids when it released the app in 2017. &nbsp;Additionally, the company misleads parents by marketing its app as age appropriate for children 12 and older. Despite its assertions, TikTok hawks significant amounts of profanity and crude humor, sexual content and nudity, alcohol, tobacco and drug usage, and mature and suggestive themes.“Parents and caregivers believe their children are protected from images of intense sexual content, illicit drug use, and videos encouraging vaping and tobacco use, because TikTok deceives parents into believing the company hides this content from children. In reality, this company created an app intentionally to hook Kansas children onto their salacious, dangerous, and damaging content at the price of those children's mental health. This damage will echo far into the future of our state, and TikTok must answer for its actions,” said Deputy Attorney General Fran Oleen. According to the petition, TikTok offers “restricted mode” and “family pairing” tools to keep Kansas children safe, but the tools are ineffective. The suit also alleges that TikTok negatively impacts the mental health of Kansas youth.“Kids in Kansas have been bombarded with problematic TikTok videos while lost in the addictive grip of TikTok’s auto scroll that affects not only their attention spans, but their mental health. Youth in Kansas frequently find themselves in an infinite hole of TikTok videos that tell them they are not good enough or attractive enough. These videos are often paired with advice on how to evade parents’ detection of eating disorders,” said Assistant Attorney General Sarah Dietz. “TikTok has misrepresented itself as safe, while it purposefully addicted minors and wreaked havoc on their mental health. Even when parents and caregivers try to create a safe environment for their children by using parental controls, they are deceived by TikTok’s false representations that the parental controls are effective.”The Office of the Kansas Attorney General is alleging multiple violations of the Kansas Consumer Protection Act. Specifically, the state seeks civil penalties of $10,000 per violation and enhanced civil penalties of $20,000 for deceptive and unconscionable acts against protected consumers.Oleen and Dietz of the Office of the Kansas Attorney General, along with Special Assistant Attorneys General David Thompson, Brian Barnes, Megan Wold, and Athie Livas of Cooper &amp; Kirk, PLLC, represent the state of Kansas in the suit.

Kansas Attorney General sues TikTok

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri Gov. Mike Parson has offered his “deepest sympathy” to the family of a 5-year-old girl who was seriously injured in a drunken driving crash, after facing criticism for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-chiefs-britt-reid-commutation-parson-17630ef04030c056270b7993814e6aed">releasing from prison</a>&nbsp;the driver who caused the crash, former Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach Britt Reid.

But in a statement Tuesday to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article286294770.html">The Kansas City Star,</a>&nbsp;Parson stopped short of apologizing for commuting the remainder of Reid’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-chiefs-nfl-sports-football-ce0454049635803df51fc892aaff9dc4?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">three-year prison sentence</a>&nbsp;to house arrest, subject to conditions.

Parson's office said no one asked the governor — who is a Chiefs fan — to commute the sentence, including Reid himself, his father Chiefs coach Andy Reid, or anyone else associated with the team that recently won the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-2024-score-chiefs-49ers-49b5dca51c05ab0f259cef0d7da76c2d">Super Bowl</a>&nbsp;for the second consecutive year.

Parson spokesman Johnathan Shiflett later provided a copy of the statement to The Associated Press.

“It seems the laws don’t apply equally to the haves and have nots. The haves get favors. The have nots serve their sentence,” the injured girl's mother, Felicia Miller said in a separate statement provided through the family’s attorney.

Prosecutors said Reid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-kansas-football-kansas-city-kansas-city-chiefs-d43b085c56ac1d0ec8445f30faa6a4d0">was intoxicated and driving at about 84 mph</a>&nbsp;(135 kph) in a 65 mph (105 kph) zone when his Dodge truck hit two cars on an entrance ramp to Interstate 435 near Arrowhead Stadium on Feb. 4, 2021.

Six people were injured in the collision, including Reid and 5-year-old Ariel Young, who suffered a traumatic brain injury. One of the vehicles he hit had stalled because of a dead battery, and the second was owned by Felicia Miller, who had arrived to help.

Reid pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated causing serious bodily injury and was sentenced to three years. Parson reduced that term and ordered his release on March 1. Reid had been expecting to be released about eight weeks later.

In his statement, Parson expressed his “deepest sympathy for any additional heartache this commutation has caused the Young Family,” saying that was not his intention.

The Republican governor, a longtime Chiefs season ticket holder who celebrated with the team at its recent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-super-bowl-parade-kansas-city-c373ac902961ded32bccc11c67afbd37">Super Bowl victory parade</a>&nbsp;in Kansas City, has faced criticism even from within his own party.

“This is not justice,” said State Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer, a Parkville Republican who chairs the Missouri Senate Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence Committee,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/TonyForMissouri/status/1763934179945828383">in a post on X.</a>

Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker said in a statement that the original sentence was “just,” noting that the crash wasn't Britt Reid's first legal issue. He graduated from a drug treatment program in Pennsylvania in 2009 after a series of run-ins with law enforcement. His father was coach of the Philadelphia Eagles at the time.

“He," Baker said of the governor, “used his political power to free a man with status, privilege and connections.”

She also criticized the governor's office for not contacting Ariel's family before freeing Reid, but Shiflett said that is not part of the clemency process.

Reid had anticipated being released April 30 due to time served and completing an intensive treatment program while in custody, Katie McClaflin, Reid’s attorney, told The Star.

“Now that he is out of prison, he’ll continue focusing on maintaining sobriety and being an engaged and present father to his three children,” said McClaflin, who did not return a phone call from the AP seeking comment.

Shiflett has also mentioned the completion of the treatment program as one of the factors the governor considered when deciding to commute Reid's sentence.

Reid’s house arrest will continue until Oct. 31, 2025, with requirements that include weekly meetings with a parole officer, counseling and community service.

The Chiefs, who have declined to comment on the commutation,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-sports-health-business-football-b79b53869eb2a017e1e41623ac5abb58">reached a confidential agreement</a>&nbsp;with Ariel’s family to pay for her ongoing medical treatment and other expenses.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1709418222797.png" alt="Britt Reid-photo MODOC" />
 <figcaption>Britt Reid-photo MODOC</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri Gov. Mike Parson has offered his “deepest sympathy” to the family of a 5-year-old girl who was seriously injured in a drunken driving crash, after facing criticism for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-chiefs-britt-reid-commutation-parson-17630ef04030c056270b7993814e6aed">releasing from prison</a>&nbsp;the driver who caused the crash, former Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach Britt Reid.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Teresa and I have arrived in Las Vegas. Less than 24-hours until kickoff - GO CHIEFS! <a href="https://t.co/FRaoZIeDqR">pic.twitter.com/FRaoZIeDqR</a>&mdash; Governor Mike Parson (@GovParsonMO) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovParsonMO/status/1756486034563416288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 11, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>But in a statement Tuesday to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article286294770.html">The Kansas City Star,</a>&nbsp;Parson stopped short of apologizing for commuting the remainder of Reid’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-chiefs-nfl-sports-football-ce0454049635803df51fc892aaff9dc4?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">three-year prison sentence</a>&nbsp;to house arrest, subject to conditions.Parson's office said no one asked the governor — who is a Chiefs fan — to commute the sentence, including Reid himself, his father Chiefs coach Andy Reid, or anyone else associated with the team that recently won the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-2024-score-chiefs-49ers-49b5dca51c05ab0f259cef0d7da76c2d">Super Bowl</a>&nbsp;for the second consecutive year.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612784011749.png" alt="Ariel Young suffered a traumatic brain injury in the crash-photo GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>Ariel Young suffered a traumatic brain injury in the crash-photo GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure>Parson spokesman Johnathan Shiflett later provided a copy of the statement to The Associated Press.“It seems the laws don’t apply equally to the haves and have nots. The haves get favors. The have nots serve their sentence,” the injured girl's mother, Felicia Miller said in a separate statement provided through the family’s attorney.Prosecutors said Reid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-kansas-football-kansas-city-kansas-city-chiefs-d43b085c56ac1d0ec8445f30faa6a4d0">was intoxicated and driving at about 84 mph</a>&nbsp;(135 kph) in a 65 mph (105 kph) zone when his Dodge truck hit two cars on an entrance ramp to Interstate 435 near Arrowhead Stadium on Feb. 4, 2021.Six people were injured in the collision, including Reid and 5-year-old Ariel Young, who suffered a traumatic brain injury. One of the vehicles he hit had stalled because of a dead battery, and the second was owned by Felicia Miller, who had arrived to help.Reid pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated causing serious bodily injury and was sentenced to three years. Parson reduced that term and ordered his release on March 1. Reid had been expecting to be released about eight weeks later.In his statement, Parson expressed his “deepest sympathy for any additional heartache this commutation has caused the Young Family,” saying that was not his intention.The Republican governor, a longtime Chiefs season ticket holder who celebrated with the team at its recent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-super-bowl-parade-kansas-city-c373ac902961ded32bccc11c67afbd37">Super Bowl victory parade</a>&nbsp;in Kansas City, has faced criticism even from within his own party.“This is not justice,” said State Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer, a Parkville Republican who chairs the Missouri Senate Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence Committee,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/TonyForMissouri/status/1763934179945828383">in a post on X.</a>Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker said in a statement that the original sentence was “just,” noting that the crash wasn't Britt Reid's first legal issue. He graduated from a drug treatment program in Pennsylvania in 2009 after a series of run-ins with law enforcement. His father was coach of the Philadelphia Eagles at the time.“He," Baker said of the governor, “used his political power to free a man with status, privilege and connections.”She also criticized the governor's office for not contacting Ariel's family before freeing Reid, but Shiflett said that is not part of the clemency process.Reid had anticipated being released April 30 due to time served and completing an intensive treatment program while in custody, Katie McClaflin, Reid’s attorney, told The Star.“Now that he is out of prison, he’ll continue focusing on maintaining sobriety and being an engaged and present father to his three children,” said McClaflin, who did not return a phone call from the AP seeking comment.Shiflett has also mentioned the completion of the treatment program as one of the factors the governor considered when deciding to commute Reid's sentence.Reid’s house arrest will continue until Oct. 31, 2025, with requirements that include weekly meetings with a parole officer, counseling and community service.The Chiefs, who have declined to comment on the commutation,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-sports-health-business-football-b79b53869eb2a017e1e41623ac5abb58">reached a confidential agreement</a>&nbsp;with Ariel’s family to pay for her ongoing medical treatment and other expenses.

Gov. offers 'deepest sympathy' after reducing ex-Chiefs assistant's sentence

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A missile attack by Yemen's Houthi rebels on a commercial ship in the Gulf of Aden killed two of its crew members and forced survivors to abandon the vessel on Wednesday, officials said, in the first fatal strike in a campaign of assaults by the Iranian-backed group over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel's war on Hamas</a>&nbsp;in the Gaza Strip.

The attack on the Barbados-flagged bulk carrier True Confidence further escalates the conflict on a crucial maritime route linking Asia and the Middle East to Europe that has disrupted global shipping. The Houthis have launched attacks since November, and the U.S. began an airstrike campaign in January that so far hasn't halted their attacks.

Meanwhile, Iran announced Wednesday that it would confiscate a $50 million cargo of Kuwaiti crude oil for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-oil-tanker-advantage-sweet-seized-40b8f90bc0484fcd626903eef5faf64c">American energy firm Chevron Corp.</a>&nbsp;aboard a tanker it seized nearly a year earlier. It is the latest twist in a yearslong shadow war playing out in the Middle East’s waterways even before the Houthi attacks began.

The attack Wednesday on the True Confidence came after it had been hailed over radio by men claiming to be the Yemeni military, officials said. The Houthis have been hailing ships over the radio in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden since beginning their attacks, with analysts suspecting the rebels want to seize the vessels.

Two U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity as they didn’t have authorization to speak publicly, said the anti-ship ballistic missile attack killed two of the crew members on board and wounded six others.

At the State Department in Washington, spokesman Matthew Miller confirmed the loss of life at a briefing with reporters. “We continue to watch these reckless attacks with no regard for the well being of innocent civilians who are transiting through the Red Sea. And now they have, unfortunately and tragically, killed innocent civilians,” he said.

The full extent of the damage to the Liberian-owned ship remained unclear, but the crew abandoned the ship and deployed lifeboats.

A U.S. warship and the Indian navy were on the scene, trying to assist in rescue efforts.

Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, a Houthi military spokesman, claimed the attack in a prerecorded message, saying its missile fire set the vessel ablaze. He said the rebels' attacks would only stop when the “siege on the Palestinian people in the Gaza is lifted.”

The rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea and surrounding waters over the Israel-Hamas war, but up to Wednesday hadn't killed any crew members. The vessels have included at least one with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-ship-missile-houthi-rebels-attack-bab-elmandeb-strait-999b911c916f9266c07a6d29cc020e9e">cargo bound for Iran</a>, the Houthis’ main benefactor, and an aid ship later bound for Houthi-controlled territory.

Despite more than a month and a half of U.S.-led airstrikes,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-attacks-iran-ships-retaliation-houthis-d770a3fb0fab4c4b72e2459771833e11">Houthi rebels have remained capable</a>&nbsp;of launching significant attacks. They include the attack last month on a cargo ship carrying fertilizer, the Rubymar,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebels-rubymar-sinks-red-sea-fb64a490ce935756337ee3606e15d093">which sank on Saturday</a>&nbsp;after drifting for several days, and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-red-sea-israel-hamas-6ac2a1bf5032ed0531258816907cfe2c">downing of an American drone</a>&nbsp;worth tens of millions of dollars.

It was unclear why the Houthis targeted the True Confidence. However, it had previously been owned by Oaktree Capital Management, a Los Angeles-based fund that finances vessels on installments. Oaktree declined to comment.

Meanwhile, a separate Houthi assault Tuesday apparently targeted the USS Carney, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer that has been involved in the American campaign against the rebels. The Carney shot down bomb-carrying drones and one anti-ship ballistic missile, the U.S. military's Central Command said. Saree acknowledged that attack as well.

The U.S. later launched an airstrike destroying three anti-ship missiles and three bomb-carrying drone boats, the Central Command said.

The Houthis haven't offered any assessment of the damage they've suffered in the American-led strikes that began in January, though they've said at least 22 of their fighters have been killed. One civilian has reportedly been killed.

The U.S. Treasury separately announced new sanctions targeting a Houthi financier and the expeditionary Quds Force of Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, which arms the rebels.

The Houthis have held Yemen's capital, Sanaa, since 2014. They've battled a Saudi-led coalition since 2015 in a long-stalemated war there.

Meanwhile,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/india-china-maritime-security-d53925a976e667f275024fa964818c8f">the Indian navy</a>&nbsp;released a video of its sailors from the INS Kolkata fighting a fire aboard the MSC Sky II, which had been targeted by the Houthis in the Gulf of Aden on Monday. The Mediterranean Shipping Co., a Switzerland-based company, said the missile struck the ship as it was traveling from Singapore to Djibouti. No one was injured.

Iran separately announced the seizure of the crude oil aboard&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-navy-oil-tanker-advantage-057155f4d9caf92131533fe90f94a3a0">the Advantage Sweet</a>&nbsp;through an announcement carried by the judiciary's state-run Mizan news agency. At the time, Iran alleged that the Advantage Sweet collided with another ship, without offering any evidence.

The court order for the seizure offered an entirely different reason for the confiscation. Mizan said it was part of a court order over U.S. sanctions it alleged barred the importation of a Swedish medicine used to treat patients suffering from epidermolysis bullosa, a rare genetic condition that causes blisters all over the body and eyes. It didn't reconcile the different reasons for the seizure.

The Advantage Sweet had been in the Persian Gulf in late April, but its track showed no unusual behavior as it transited through the Strait of Hormuz, where a fifth of all traded oil passes. Iran has made allegations in other seizures that later fell apart as it became clear that Tehran was trying to leverage the capture as a bargaining chip to negotiate with foreign nations.

Chevron, based in San Ramon, California, said Wednesday that the Advantage Sweet had been “seized under false pretenses" and that the company “has not had any direct communication with Iran over the seizure of the vessel.”

“Chevron has not been permitted access to the vessel and considers the cargo a total loss due to Iran’s illegal actions,” Chevron said in a statement. “We now consider the cargo the responsibility of the Iranian government.”

Ship seizures and explosions have roiled the region since 2019. The incidents began after then President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the United States from Iran’s nuclear deal with world powers.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708804229711.png" alt="Photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>Photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A missile attack by Yemen's Houthi rebels on a commercial ship in the Gulf of Aden killed two of its crew members and forced survivors to abandon the vessel on Wednesday, officials said, in the first fatal strike in a campaign of assaults by the Iranian-backed group over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel's war on Hamas</a>&nbsp;in the Gaza Strip.The attack on the Barbados-flagged bulk carrier True Confidence further escalates the conflict on a crucial maritime route linking Asia and the Middle East to Europe that has disrupted global shipping. The Houthis have launched attacks since November, and the U.S. began an airstrike campaign in January that so far hasn't halted their attacks.Meanwhile, Iran announced Wednesday that it would confiscate a $50 million cargo of Kuwaiti crude oil for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-oil-tanker-advantage-sweet-seized-40b8f90bc0484fcd626903eef5faf64c">American energy firm Chevron Corp.</a>&nbsp;aboard a tanker it seized nearly a year earlier. It is the latest twist in a yearslong shadow war playing out in the Middle East’s waterways even before the Houthi attacks began.The attack Wednesday on the True Confidence came after it had been hailed over radio by men claiming to be the Yemeni military, officials said. The Houthis have been hailing ships over the radio in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden since beginning their attacks, with analysts suspecting the rebels want to seize the vessels.Two U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity as they didn’t have authorization to speak publicly, said the anti-ship ballistic missile attack killed two of the crew members on board and wounded six others.At the State Department in Washington, spokesman Matthew Miller confirmed the loss of life at a briefing with reporters. “We continue to watch these reckless attacks with no regard for the well being of innocent civilians who are transiting through the Red Sea. And now they have, unfortunately and tragically, killed innocent civilians,” he said.The full extent of the damage to the Liberian-owned ship remained unclear, but the crew abandoned the ship and deployed lifeboats.A U.S. warship and the Indian navy were on the scene, trying to assist in rescue efforts.Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, a Houthi military spokesman, claimed the attack in a prerecorded message, saying its missile fire set the vessel ablaze. He said the rebels' attacks would only stop when the “siege on the Palestinian people in the Gaza is lifted.”The rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea and surrounding waters over the Israel-Hamas war, but up to Wednesday hadn't killed any crew members. The vessels have included at least one with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-ship-missile-houthi-rebels-attack-bab-elmandeb-strait-999b911c916f9266c07a6d29cc020e9e">cargo bound for Iran</a>, the Houthis’ main benefactor, and an aid ship later bound for Houthi-controlled territory.Despite more than a month and a half of U.S.-led airstrikes,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-attacks-iran-ships-retaliation-houthis-d770a3fb0fab4c4b72e2459771833e11">Houthi rebels have remained capable</a>&nbsp;of launching significant attacks. They include the attack last month on a cargo ship carrying fertilizer, the Rubymar,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebels-rubymar-sinks-red-sea-fb64a490ce935756337ee3606e15d093">which sank on Saturday</a>&nbsp;after drifting for several days, and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-red-sea-israel-hamas-6ac2a1bf5032ed0531258816907cfe2c">downing of an American drone</a>&nbsp;worth tens of millions of dollars.It was unclear why the Houthis targeted the True Confidence. However, it had previously been owned by Oaktree Capital Management, a Los Angeles-based fund that finances vessels on installments. Oaktree declined to comment.Meanwhile, a separate Houthi assault Tuesday apparently targeted the USS Carney, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer that has been involved in the American campaign against the rebels. The Carney shot down bomb-carrying drones and one anti-ship ballistic missile, the U.S. military's Central Command said. Saree acknowledged that attack as well.The U.S. later launched an airstrike destroying three anti-ship missiles and three bomb-carrying drone boats, the Central Command said.The Houthis haven't offered any assessment of the damage they've suffered in the American-led strikes that began in January, though they've said at least 22 of their fighters have been killed. One civilian has reportedly been killed.The U.S. Treasury separately announced new sanctions targeting a Houthi financier and the expeditionary Quds Force of Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, which arms the rebels.The Houthis have held Yemen's capital, Sanaa, since 2014. They've battled a Saudi-led coalition since 2015 in a long-stalemated war there.Meanwhile,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/india-china-maritime-security-d53925a976e667f275024fa964818c8f">the Indian navy</a>&nbsp;released a video of its sailors from the INS Kolkata fighting a fire aboard the MSC Sky II, which had been targeted by the Houthis in the Gulf of Aden on Monday. The Mediterranean Shipping Co., a Switzerland-based company, said the missile struck the ship as it was traveling from Singapore to Djibouti. No one was injured.Iran separately announced the seizure of the crude oil aboard&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-navy-oil-tanker-advantage-057155f4d9caf92131533fe90f94a3a0">the Advantage Sweet</a>&nbsp;through an announcement carried by the judiciary's state-run Mizan news agency. At the time, Iran alleged that the Advantage Sweet collided with another ship, without offering any evidence.The court order for the seizure offered an entirely different reason for the confiscation. Mizan said it was part of a court order over U.S. sanctions it alleged barred the importation of a Swedish medicine used to treat patients suffering from epidermolysis bullosa, a rare genetic condition that causes blisters all over the body and eyes. It didn't reconcile the different reasons for the seizure.The Advantage Sweet had been in the Persian Gulf in late April, but its track showed no unusual behavior as it transited through the Strait of Hormuz, where a fifth of all traded oil passes. Iran has made allegations in other seizures that later fell apart as it became clear that Tehran was trying to leverage the capture as a bargaining chip to negotiate with foreign nations.Chevron, based in San Ramon, California, said Wednesday that the Advantage Sweet had been “seized under false pretenses" and that the company “has not had any direct communication with Iran over the seizure of the vessel.”“Chevron has not been permitted access to the vessel and considers the cargo a total loss due to Iran’s illegal actions,” Chevron said in a statement. “We now consider the cargo the responsibility of the Iranian government.”Ship seizures and explosions have roiled the region since 2019. The incidents began after then President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the United States from Iran’s nuclear deal with world powers.___

US confirms first 'fatalities' in the assaults on shipping in Red Sea

WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas home improvement contractor has entered into a consent judgment with the Office of the District Attorney. 

The District Attorney’s Consumer Protection Division investigated Mark Benoit, doing business as Wood Specialties by Mark, after receiving a consumer complaint, according to a media release from the DA's office.

The Consumer Protection Division alleged Benoit violated the Kansas Consumer Protection Act (KCPA) by failing to provide a material benefit to a consumer when he failed to deliver and install cabinets for a kitchen remodeling project. The consumers entered into a contract with

Benoit and paid for the materials and labor in advance. Because the consumers were over the age of 60, they are “protected consumers” under the KCPA, which could have resulted in an enhanced fine and penalty of up to $20,000 per violation.

While Benoit denied intentionally violating the KCPA, he accepted a consent judgment prior to litigation to settle the matter. As part of the agreement, Benoit will be on a 24-month probationary period with the Consumer Protection Division during which he must pay $22,400 in restitution to the consumers. He is also liable for $10,000.00 in civil penalties, along with additional investigative expenses, and court costs. Future contracts will include proper notices of the three-day right to cancel the transaction for any door-to-door sales. The consent judgment includes an injunction from engaging in deceptive or unconscionable acts in the future. Benoit agreed to cooperate with the investigation of any future complaints.

The District Attorney cautions against paying significant amounts of money for home improvement projects up front before receiving the goods and services covered by the contract.

Estimates and bids should be in writing that clearly indicates your expectations from the supplier including the scope of work and cost. When entering into a contract you should request a copy signed by all parties. If you elect to pay cash, you should require a detailed receipt as it is difficult to prove cash payments occurred absent a receipt. If you pay with a credit card and an issue arises, you can dispute the charge with your credit card provider if the supplier fails to deliver the goods or services you purchased. Additionally, the District Attorney reminds residents that anyone engaging in door-to-door sales or offering their services outside of their place of business is also required to provide customers a specific notice both orally and in writing to inform the consumer that they can cancel the contract within three days. The requirements are located in K.S.A. 50-640. 

WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas home improvement contractor has entered into a consent judgment with the Office of the District Attorney. The District Attorney’s Consumer Protection Division investigated Mark Benoit, doing business as Wood Specialties by Mark, after receiving a consumer complaint, according to a media release from the DA's office.The Consumer Protection Division alleged Benoit violated the Kansas Consumer Protection Act (KCPA) by failing to provide a material benefit to a consumer when he failed to deliver and install cabinets for a kitchen remodeling project. The consumers entered into a contract withBenoit and paid for the materials and labor in advance. Because the consumers were over the age of 60, they are “protected consumers” under the KCPA, which could have resulted in an enhanced fine and penalty of up to $20,000 per violation.While Benoit denied intentionally violating the KCPA, he accepted a consent judgment prior to litigation to settle the matter. As part of the agreement, Benoit will be on a 24-month probationary period with the Consumer Protection Division during which he must pay $22,400 in restitution to the consumers. He is also liable for $10,000.00 in civil penalties, along with additional investigative expenses, and court costs. Future contracts will include proper notices of the three-day right to cancel the transaction for any door-to-door sales. The consent judgment includes an injunction from engaging in deceptive or unconscionable acts in the future. Benoit agreed to cooperate with the investigation of any future complaints.The District Attorney cautions against paying significant amounts of money for home improvement projects up front before receiving the goods and services covered by the contract.Estimates and bids should be in writing that clearly indicates your expectations from the supplier including the scope of work and cost. When entering into a contract you should request a copy signed by all parties. If you elect to pay cash, you should require a detailed receipt as it is difficult to prove cash payments occurred absent a receipt. If you pay with a credit card and an issue arises, you can dispute the charge with your credit card provider if the supplier fails to deliver the goods or services you purchased. Additionally, the District Attorney reminds residents that anyone engaging in door-to-door sales or offering their services outside of their place of business is also required to provide customers a specific notice both orally and in writing to inform the consumer that they can cancel the contract within three days. The requirements are located in K.S.A. 50-640.